Learn about bicycle safety, laws as National Bicycle Month gears up

Wednesday

May 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Sgt. Lee Raines with Spartanburg Public Safety has been patrolling the streets downtown since 1997.

By DUSTIN WYATTdustin.wyatt@shj.com

Sgt. Lee Raines with Spartanburg Public Safety has been patrolling the streets downtown since 1997.But he doesn't travel in a police car; instead, he gets around on a bicycle.It's a mode of transportation that has become more and more popular in downtown Spartanburg over the years, he says.“I've watched as the city has evolved into one that is more bike-friendly,” he said recently.The League of American Bicyclists named the city of Spartanburg the first bicycle-friendly community in South Carolina in 2007. This was after efforts by Partners for Active Living, Palmetto Conservation Foundation, the city of Spartanburg, Freewheelers of Spartanburg, the Mary Black Foundation and other organizations to increase bike lanes and bicycle trails, among other initiatives.But despite Spartanburg's “bicycle friendly” status, accidents on two wheels are still common in the area.Just ask Spartanburg residents Kelly Kozlowski and Craig Hendrix. Both have been injured while riding their bicycles.Kozlowski shattered her collarbone in 2010 while training for the Assault on Mount Mitchell, the annual 102.7-mile ride from Spartanburg to the top of Mount Mitchell in North Carolina.Hendrix broke his hip about a year ago while pedaling down Highway 290 in Duncan. He hit a piece of concrete in the road and crashed.

“Accidents aren't rare,” Hendrix said. “Bicycles are so lightweight that it doesn't take a whole lot to cause you to crash. A lot of people can get hurt on bikes.”According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 500,000 people in the U.S. are treated in emergency departments, and more than 700 people die as a result of bicycle-related injuries each year.Children are at particularly high risk for bicycle-related injuries, the CDC states. In 2001, children 15 and younger accounted for 59 percent of all bicycle-related injuries seen in U.S. emergency departments.Raines said bicycle accidents are more common outside the city limits where there are fewer bike lanes.The problem he sees most often downtown while on patrol is a lack of education.“A lot of people just don't know the laws,” Raines said. “For instance, you are not supposed to ride against traffic. Always ride with traffic.”May is National Bicycle Month. Before you mount the bike and pedal away, Raines encourages everyone to know the laws.

u A bicycle ridden at night must be equipped with a lamp on the front that must emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet and a red reflector on the rear that must be visible from all distances from 50 to 300 feet to the rear.u No bicycle can be used to carry more people than it is designed for.

u A cyclist should use proper hand signals when making a turn. Failure to do so could result in a fine of $25.u A bicycle must be equipped with a brake that will enable the bicyclist to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level clean pavement.u A cyclist is not allowed to carry any package, bundle or article that prevents the rider from keeping at least one hand on the handlebars.u Cyclists must ride in the bicycle lane if one is available; cyclists can ride on the roadway when there is only an adjacent recreational bicycle path available instead of a bike lane.Raines often speaks to children at schools about bike safety. He stops people downtown if they aren't following bicycle laws and offers education. He tells everyone about the rules of the road and about the most important piece of equipment: the helmet.Some states require cylists to wear a helmet, but there isn't such a law in South Carolina.Still, Raines doesn't ride a bike without one.“I've had some spills where I've landed on my head and the helmet has saved me from having a serious injury. I promote helmet-wearing all the time. I encourage everyone to wear a helmet. I wish it were a law.”Randy Cooksey is on the board of the Spartanburg Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission, which was created in 2011 to increase the safety and accessibility of bicycling and walking for recreation and transportation.He says cyclists should ride their bike as if it were a car.

“When you're operating a bicycle, know that a bike is a vehicle. The roads are made for vehicles; they aren't just made for cars,” he said. “Ride in the same direction as traffic, don't ride on the sidewalk, stop at stop lights, don't pull between cars.”Raines says cyclists have as much right to be on the road as motorists, and motorists have to be respectful. There are laws motorists must abide by as well when in contact with cyclists.“If you are following a cyclist too closely, you can be pulled over and given a ticket,” Raines said. “Cyclists have the right to be on the road, and people can't ride by and taunt you.”If a motorist taunts a cyclist, he or she can be fined up to $250.Motorists cannot block bike lanes. And drivers of motor vehicles need to allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road, look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space, and yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals.Laura Ringo, director of Partners for Active Living, says Spartanburg is already a great place for cyclists of all skill levels, but there is still work to be done.“I think the primary need for improvement is in connecting our existing trails and bicycle lanes, as well as providing safe crossings over our interstates, which are challenging for many riders,” she said.Sometimes, loose dogs chase riders.“This can be scary and dangerous for someone on a bicycle,” Ringo said.